Gauging and segregating of rollers



April 14, 1953 T. A. JAGEN GAUGING AND SEGREGATING oF RoLLERs 2 SHEETS--SHEET l Filed April 9, 1947 e ma, M j 7 r@ J. M. H/ J/ VQ N a@ 2 /a VA j TN www n v M f 1%/ y. /r /4 x 9 4 H/s ATTORNEY April 14, 1953 T. A. JAGEN 2,634,859

GAUGING AND SEGREGATING oF ROLLERS Filed April 9, 1947 2 SHEETS- SHEET 2 GA TE /5 -HECT/F/Ffi' B /-//6 A TTORNEY' Patented Apr. 14, 1953 GAUGIN G AND SEGREGATING F ROLLERS Theodore A. Jagen, Livingston, N. J., assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a

corporation of Delaware Application April 9, 194i, serial No. 740,365

Claims. (C1. 209-482) This invention relates to the gauging and segregating of rollers, especially tapered bearing rollers. An object of the invention is to provide a machine for gauging the diameters of tapered rollers at a uniform distance from their larger ends. Another object is to provide a machine for segregating such rollers into lots according to their diameters yand to eliminate those which lack proper diameter. Another object is to provide an electronic gauging and segregating machine which will gauge the rollers while they are in motion and act with great rapidity.

To these ends and also to improve generally upon machines of this character, the invention consists in the various matters hereinafter described and claimed. In its broader aspects, the invention is not necessarily limited to the specific construction selected for illustrative purposes in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. l is a vertical sectional view through the center of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan View.

t Fig. 4 is a side view of an arcuate guide secion.

Fig. 5 is a fragmental plan view of a sectional guide and associated parts.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view partly cut away of the the feeler mechanism and its mounting.

Fig. 7 is a verti-cal sectional view chiey on line l-l of Fig. 3.

Fig. 8 is a side view of a portion of the arcuate guide.

Fig. 9 is a diagram.

First outlining important functions, tapered rollers are fed downwardly, small end first, into pockets of a rotary carrier which carries them sidewise in sliding engagement with a portion of a xed cylindrical gauging disc, the rollers being urged laterally against the disc by an arcuate spring-pressed guide. At the gauging position the larger end of each roller rides under a fixed diamond which determines the level of such end of the roller, the rotary carrier being resiliently supported to yield downwardly if necessary. At this position the periphery of the nonrotating bodily moving roller is engaged on its periphery, usually at two places, fby a pair of feelers which control segregating mechanism in conjunction with a switch which is cam actuated as the carrier rotates. As each roller passes beyond gauging position, it is dropped through an exit funnel into a segregating chute having a plurality of gates which are actuated .selec- 2 tively by electronic control in accordance With the size and taper of the roller. The rollers are gauged at a uniform distance from their larger ends, which ends, in an antifriction bearing engage a guiding ange on a race ring.

Referring to Fig. 1, the motive power is supplied by a speed reducing motor 2 mounted on a plate adjustably fastened to a base 4. Fastened by a Set screw to the motor shaft B is a flanged clutch hub 8 having a take-up nut I0 threaded thereon and provided with seats for lcoil springs engaging corresponding seats in a clutch plate l2 which is splined to the motor shaft. A driving sprocket I4 fastened between two discs i6 is frictionally driven due to the spring pressure exerted between the clutch plate l2 and the anged hub 8.

A sprocket chain i8 drives a sprocket wheel 20 fastened to the bottom of a rotary sleeve 22 which is journalled by ball bearings on an upright stud 24 which has a flange 26 fastened to the base 4. A sealing cap 28 closes the bottom of the rotary sleeve and a flanged cap 30 is threaded in the top, the periphery of this cap projecting a little beyond the sleeve to act as a stop for an internal flange on an outer sleeve 32 which is urged upwardly by coil springs seated therein and seated at the bottom in a peripheral flange of the inner sleeve 22, the springs 30: passing freely through `openings in a cap 34 fastened to the outer sleeve. The outer sleeve has limited sliding movement vertically on antifriction balls set in notches preferably 120 apart at opposite ends of a separator or spacer 36.

Besides having provision for a little yielding vertical movement, the outer sleeve 32 is compelled to rotate with the driven inner sleeve by a dowel pin 38 which is pressed in the flange of the inner sleeve and projects upwardly through holes in the cap 34 and into the outer sleeve. Fastened to. a shoulder on the outer sleeve for rotation and vertical sliding therewith is a roller-supporting ring 4l! which engages the smaller ends of the rollers R While the latter occupy pockets in a carrier 42 fastened to the outside of the supporting ring. The rollers slide around on a portion of the periphery of a fixed gauging disc 44 which is fastened to the bottom of a hollow cylinder 45 which is secured at its top to a bridge 48 having two supporting legs 49 secured to the base. The periphery of the gauging disc 44 provides a substantially upright surface of revoa pair of "Carbo1oy inserts substantially flush therewith. To locate the upper ends of all rollers at a fixed level at the gauging position, a diamond 50 is press-fitted in the bottom edge of a cam plate 52 which has a vertical tongue entering a groove in the cylinder 46, the cam plate being secured by screws to the cylinder 46 against a flat thereof. The lower edge of the cam plate has an inclined cam surface which overlies the large end of the roller as the latter rolls under it, this cam surface causing the roller to ride under the diamond 50 and, if the roller is longer than the minimum length, also forcing the supporting ring 40 and its supporting sleeve downwardly. All rollers thus have their larger ends located at the same gauging level and are gauged, as will appear, at the same distance from the larger ends.

Beyond the gauging position, the cam plate is relieved (Fig. 7) to let the ring 40 rise (if it has been depressed) to its original position as limited by contact of the outer sleeve 32 with the cap 30. As the roller leaves gauging position it imejector 54 which is fastened to the xed gauging disc so that the gauged roller tilts over and drops into an exit funnel 56. Overturning of the roller is facilitated because it is supported by the ring 40 near its periphery and because the gauging disc is cylindrical and the roller tapered. Hence the roller axis is inclined to the vertical and its center of gravity well out beyond the point of support. Accordingly some means is needed to hold the roller in sliding contact with the gauging disc and cause it to slide as it is carried to gauging position from its loading zone which is herein shown as 90 from the gauging zone.

The holding means comprises an arcuate guide which is pivotally mounted and composed of two sections 58 and 60 adjustably and pivotally fastened together. Section 58 has a hub portion pivoted on a shouldered stud 62 on a loading block 64 which receives the rollers small end down from a flexible feed tube 66. An arm 68 on the hub portion is connected by a coil spring 'I0 to a bent anchor pin 'I2 fixed to a bracket 'I4 which carries the loading block 64. The arcuate guide sections are thus yieldably urged towards the gauging disc and press the rollers against it. The guide sections also react on the tapered surfaces of the rollers to urge them upwardly against the cam plate 52. Guide section 60 is mounted on section 58 by a pivot pin 'I6 but cannot swing outwardly independently because a lug on section 60 engages a stop screw 'I8 adjustably mounted in a lug on the section 58. Guide section 60 is forked at its free end to receive a pair of hardened roller-engaging projections which are bevelled at the ends to provide spaced feelers 80.

At the gauging position the periphery of theroller engages the feelers 80r which are carried by a lever 82 (Fig. 6) mounted on a vertical reed or leaf spring 84 fastened to the lever and to a tiltable plate 86 by vertical cleats 88 which are slightly bevelled adjacent to each other to allow a slight bending of the reed spring. The tiltable plate 86 is pivoted at 90 to a supporting plate 92 having an arcuate slot 94 for a clamping Screw by which the plate 86 is held in its adjusted position as indicated by a pointer 96 mounted on plate 86 and co-operating with a scale on supporting plate 92. An angular bracket 98 on supporting plate 92 carries an adjusting screw engaging a pin on the plate 86 to effect the adjustment. This adjustment sets the feelers 80 ymediately engages a fixed cam projection orA at the proper inclination to conform to the tapered roller. The lever 82 engages the stem |02 of a gauging head |04 mounted on the bottom of a slide |06 clamped to the bridge 48 by screws |08 after adjustment by a screw |I0. The plate 92 is fastened to the slide for adjusting movement therewith as required for rollers of different diameters.

The gauging head |04 and amplifier |I2 (Fig. 9) with its meter V may be of standard commercial construction and it controls the segregating mechanism in conjunction with an electric circuit which is periodically opened by a normally closed microswitch |I4 fastened to a base plate ||6 having arcuate slots curved about the center of the carrier so as to be angularly adjusted on a pad of the base 4. The stem of the microswitch is engaged and actuated by an arm ||8 pivoted on the bracket ||6, the free end of the arm being in the path of a series of cam projections |20 equally spaced about the flange on the rotary sleeve 22. Eight cam projections 45 apart are herein indicated. The roller carrier 42 has the same number of equally spaced roller pockets, each pocket being arranged to reach gauging position and actuate the gauge circuit very shortly after the corresponding cam projection |20 has actuated the arm I I8 and the microswitch. Thus electrical impulses can be made to occur as each roller is gauged and this will control a segregating mechanism. Whenever a roller reaches gauging position, a preceding gauged roller will have already been ejected into the exit chute 56 which is less than 45 from the gauging position. The carrier does not stop but rotates steadily and gauging occurs while the roller is sliding. When a gauged roller has been dropped into the exit funnel 56, it enters a vertical segregating chute |2| (Fig. 9) having a series of pivoted gates or deflectors, the two lowest ones only being shown.

The measuring unit includes the electronic gauge |04 which operates in response to the extent of displacement of the gauging work spindle |02 for regulating the direct current output voltage in lines |22 that connect to an electronic amplifier I|2 energized by a suitable alternating current source. The direct current voltage output of the amplifier |I2, which is carried by the lines |26 and |24 respectively connected to the positive and negative amplifier terminals, varies proportionately under control of the voltage changes in lines |22. The meter V on the amplifier ||2 responds to changes in output voltage of this amplifier. Two independent and constant direct current voltage sources, herein shown as alternating current energized rectiers A and B, are also provided for supplying required voltages to a series of similarly connected grid-controlled electronic tubes which control the opening of self-closing gates in the work sorting mechanism, two of these tubes being shown at |5 and I6 and respectively controlling the gates I5 and I6 which are last in a series of sixteen. rThe'electronic tubes used in the present circuits are preferably of the type commonly referred to as Thyratron wherein current flow once started in the plate circuit continues irrespective of changes'in grid bias voltages and until circuit is broken by the opening of the switch I|4 by one of the cam projections |20. These electroni-c tubes will respond instantaneously when the critical grid bias is reached and even before the pointer of the meter V comes to rest at a correct measuring position. Hence,

work pieces, as the rollers R, in a fast -travelling production line may be rapidly and successively passed through gauging position and sorted by the gauge-controlled mechanism in accordance with their work sizes.

Each electronic tube has a suitably heated iilament F, a cathode C, a plate P, Iand a control grid G whose impressed voltage regulates the electron flow between the cathode and the plate to control current flow in the plate circuit. The positive terminal of the rectier A connects through a line |30 and through each of the coils of normally de-energized relays, as relays I 5 and I6 to the plates P of the successive electronic tubes. The negative terminal of the rectifier A connects through a line |24, grounded at |28, to the negative terminal of the amplifier |I2 and through the switch II4 (controlled by the cam projections |20) and through a line |32 to the cathodes C of all of the electronic tubes. A series of Voltage dividers, as |35, for preadjusting the negative grid bias to each tube, is connected in parallel between the lines |25 and |34; line |26 being connected to the positive terminals of the rectier B and of the amplier I2, and line |34 connecting with the negative terminal of the rectifier B. The voltage adjusting members of the voltage dividers are respectively connected by leads, as |36, to the grids of the successive electronic tubes.

In the usual electronic tube, when a predetermined positive potential is impressed from the plate to the cathode, current flow in the plate circuit will be started when a voltage at or above a required critic-al negative voltage is applied to the control grid. The voltage between the lines |26 and |34 is maintained constant and preferably higher than the maximum voltage across the lines 24 and |26 so that the line |34 will always have a negative potential with respect to the line |24. The positive voltage across the lines |24 and |26 which varies in accordance with Athe gauged work size, additively affects all of the minus grid voltages and is used to control the selective operation of the electronic tubes which in turn respectively control the closing of the normally de-energized plate circuit relays, as relays I5 and I6. Each relay has a movable armature engaging a contact |40 when the relay is deenergized, as shown by relay It, and engaging a contact I4| when the relay is energized, as illustrated by relay 5,

In the present embodiment, sixteen electronic circuits are used to selectively control the sorting of sixteen different sizes of work pieces. However, any desired number of similarly operated electronic circuits may be used for selective control. To simplify illustration, the rst fourteen tubes of the series and their controlling circuits are not shown since they are the same as that shown for the electronic tube I5. Each tube in the series of sixteen controls a solenoid actuated gate, the last two gates I5 and I6 being shown. The last gate I6 deflects from the chute |2I all work pieces that are larger than a maximum acceptable size. The preceding gate I5 deects articles of the maximum acceptable size. The fourteenth gate will deect acceptable work pieces one grade smaller and so on, the rst gate deflecting work pieces of minimum acceptable size. Work pieces smaller than the minimum acceptable size pass through the chute |2I, no gate opening to deiiect them.

For initial adjustment, two master work pieces of predetermined maximum and minimum acceptable sizes are successively placed in gauging position and the resultant high and low readings of the meter are taken. The electronic gauge I 04 and the amplifier I I2 are constructed to produce linear voltage changes across the lines |26 and |24 in response to uniform increments of axial displacement of the gauging spindle |02. Hence, the size of any work piece located in gauging position may be indicated by the measuring position of the pointer on the meter V. While the smaller of these master work pieces is being gauged, the voltage divider connected in the grid circuit of the first electronic tube of the series is adjusted to produce that critical grid bias voltage at which the iirst plate circuit relay will be energized and the first gate will be opened. Work pieces smaller than this minimum acceptable size will not cause the first gate to be opened and Will pass on through and out of the chute since the negative grid bias voltage will be too great to result in current now in the plate circuit of this first electronic tube. Similarly, during gauging of the work piece of maximum acceptable size, the voltage divider in the grid circuit of the tube I5 is adjusted to produce that critical grid bias which will result in the opening of the gate I5. The voltage dividers associated with the grid circuits of the second through the fourteenth tubes are respectively adjusted in accordance with predetermined work sizes as indicated on the meter V to selectively control the opening of the corresponding gates in accordance with the required predetermined intermediate Work piece sizes. The voltage divider |35 is adjusted so that the gate I6 will open and receive all work pieces of sizes greater than the maximum acceptable size.

Let it be assumed that current flow will be initiated in the plate circuit of each electronic tube only when its negative grid bias equals or is less than a critical negative bias of minus 2%; volts. Since this minus grid bias voltage is additively aiected in all of the Voltage dividers in accordance with the sixteen diierent predetermined work sizes, the electronic gauge |04 is preadjusted to control sixteen corresponding plus voltage increments of 21/2 volts each, causing the Voltage range across the lines |24 and |25 to extend from plus 21/2 volts when a work piece of the minimum acceptable size is being gauged, to plus 40 `volts when a Work piece over maximum acceptable size is being gauged.

When a work piece of the minimum acceptable size is placed in gauging position and the voltage divider associated with the rst electronic tube of the series is adjusted to the critical negative grid bias, the first tube will start current ow in its plate circuit energizing the rst relay ci the series which in turn causes the first gate of the series to be opened for subsequently diverting this gauged work piece from the chute I2I into a suitable bin for receiving similar work pieces of minimum acceptable size. The potential across the lines |24, |26 will now be plus 21/2 volts and the voltage divider for this rst electronic tube will be set at minus 5 volts to provide the required critical negative grid bias of minus 21@ volts. The grid lbiases to all of the succeeding fteen ltubes in the series are now insuilicient to permit .current low in -their plate circuits, and each of the relays controlled by these fteen tubes will now be in their normally de-energized positions, as indicated by the relay I6. The first gate, which is not illustrated, will now be opened (in `the same manner as illustrated for the gate I5 whose armature is shown moved to engage contact |4I leading through the line |43 to the solenoid of gate I5) and current from the A. C. source will flow through line |24, switch ||4, line |42, contact |40, line |45 and lthrough the preceding deenergized relay armatures and their contac-ts |40 to the first gate-controlling solenoid which in common with the other gate solenoids is connected through the line |44 to the A. C. source. Each selectively opened gate remains open after the work piece has left gauging position and until one of the cam projections |20 opens the switch ||4 to break the cathode-plate circuit to all of the tubes just prior to the next gauging operation.

When a work piece one grade larger in size than the minimum acceptable workpiece size is in gauging position and the Voltage divider for the second electronic tube is adjusted to critical negative bias, the potential across the lines E24, |25

will be plus 5 volts and this voltage divider will be set at minus 71/2 volts to again produce the critical grid bias of minus 21/2 volts so that the second gate in the series will be opened.

When gauging a work piece of maximum acceptable size, which in the present instance is fourteen graded sizes larger than the minimum acceptable size, the potential across the lines |24, |25 will be increased from plus 2%; volts by fourteen 21/2 v-olt increments to provide the plus voltage of 371/2 volts, and the setting of the voltage divider for the tube |5 will be minus 40 volts to produce the resultant critical grid bias of minus 21/2 volts so that the relay I5 will operate as shown to direct current through the line M3 and control the opening of the gate I5.

Similarly, when a workpiece of greater than maximum size is gauged, the potential across the lines |24, |26 will be plus 40 volts and the voltage divider |35 will be set at minus 421/2 volts so that the tube I6 will control the energizing of the relay I6 and the resultant opening of the gate I6 which will subsequently divert this oversized work piece from the chute |2| into a suitable bin for similar oversized work pieces.

When the negative grid bias as controlled by the work piece size equals or is less than the critical minus voltage that results in the energizing of one of the electronic tubes, as tube I 5, the grid biases for all of the preceding tubes, as the first fourteen tubes, are at voltages which would normally cause current flow in all of the plate circuit relays associated with these preceding tubes. However, the energized relay (assuming it is relay I5 which is moved against the contact I4I) breaks circuit to the preceding relays at this time so that only Ithe selected gate, as gate I5, is held open to divert the gauged work piece from the chute into the desired bin.

I claim:

1. In apparatus of the character indicated, a gauging member having a substantially upright, convex surface for sliding contact by the periphery of advancing rollers, a carrier having pockets to receive the rollers in succession, means for continuously rotating the carrier to traverse the rollers around the outside of the convex surface past a gauging position, means arching around the convex surface for holding the rollers against the surface and compelling them to slide as the carrier rotates, a work engaging feeler at the gauging position and actuated in accordance with the size of the roller, and means beyond the gaug- 8 ing position to expel the gauged rollers from the pockets of the carrier.

2. In apparatus of the character indicated, a member having a substantially upright, cylindrical gauging surface for sliding contact by the peripheries of tapered rollers, a carrier to traverse the rollers around the outside of the gauging surface past a gauging position, a spring-pressed guide arching around the gauging surface and pressing the tapered rollers against the gauging surface to compel them to slide and to urge them upwardly, a gauging member in opposition to the gauging surface at the gauging position and having a pair `of feelers spaced apart to engage separated points along the length of the sliding rollers, and a gauge controlled by the feeler to detect unacceptable size in the rollers.

3. In apparatus of the character indicated, a member having a substantially upright, cylindrical gauging surface for sliding contact by the peripheries of tapered rollers, a carrier to traverse the rollers along the gauging surface past a gauging position, means for engaging an end of each sliding roller at the gauging position to locate the roller endwise with one end in a predetermined position, a spring pressed guide arching around the gauging surface and pressing the tapered rollers against the gauging surface to urge them upwardly against the endwise locating means, a gauging member having a pair of feelers to engage each roller at separated points along its length, and a gauge controlled by the feeler to detect unacceptable size in the rollers.

4. In apparatus of the character indicated, a member having a substantially upright, convex gauging surface for sliding contact by the periphery of advancing rollers, a carrier to traverse the rollers in succession around the outside of the -convex surface and past a gauging position, means to space the rollers and hold them with their axes in a plane perpendicular to the gauging surface, a member having a pair of feelers spaced apart to engage the advancing rollers at two points in said plane, means to locate the ends of the rollers at a denite distance from the feelers, and gauging means actuated by the feelers to detect rollers which have unacceptable diameter.

5. In apparatus of the character indicated, a gauging surface, means for sliding tapered rollers along the gauging surface past a gauging position, a pivotally supported tiltable plate, an arm movably mounted on the plate and having a pair of spaced feelers to engage the rollers at spaced points along their length, adjustable mechanism including a feeding screw and a clamping screw for tilting the plate to place the feelers in a line making a predetermined angle to the gauging surface at the gauging position, and a gauge actuated by the movable arm.

THEODORE A. JAGEN.

References Cited in the le 0f this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Odquist Mar. 2, 1943 

